Crescendo
by infinite vertigo
Summary: "Love doesn't blossom," Tenten laughed, the same laugh from when she was a toddler, now as a woman, "It crescendos, slowly, definitely, infinitely." NejiTen for OasisSerenity
1. Infants

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

_**.for OasisSerenity.**_

**.chapter one: infants.**

"It's a beautiful baby boy, Hyuuga-san!"

Hyuuga Hizashi couldn't help but let a serene smile spread across his features as he gently took hold of his new son, all snuggled up in a blue blanket. His wife smiled weakly, reaching a shaking hand out to stroke his cheek, her lavender eyes softening. "Hizashi…"

Hizashi smiled and brought his hand up, brushing the back of his fingers softly, delicately against the baby boy's cheek. The skin was silky soft and the ear piercing cry that he let out barely registered as annoying; it was the sound of life, it symbolized his birth and his coming into the world. His tiny fists were clenched shut and when his eyes fluttered open, they were the same shade of silver tinted with lavender looked back at him.

There wasn't much that Hizashi was happy about; he knew to appreciate what he had, but he couldn't help but forever be plagued by the cursed seal. After all, how could he not? It stared him every day in the mirror when he removed his forehead protector; the green mark on the pale skin of his forehead stood out prominently, taunting him in the mirror. It reminded him of his imprisonment, of his inferiority, of what his fate was like. And he was so tentative to bring forth a son in this world that would have to deal with the same fate that he had to endure. It wasn't fair; he couldn't subject anyone to this imprisonment, much less his own son.

But, then he realized, it would be even less fair to not give his son the life he deserved.

This was, as cliché as it was, his bundle of joy. Hizashi smiled, bringing his crying son closer to him. This was a shining light in his otherwise dreary life. The idea of raising a son in the same fashion he had been brought up in pained him, but, nevertheless, Hizashi believed that life was a great gift, one he could not deny to his son. He was so beautiful and Hizashi couldn't fathom that this was his son, his blood, his family.

"Hi… Hizashi…" the voice was weak and immediately, Hizashi's sharp eyes flitted up in panic.

"Her heart rate is dropping…"

"Oxygen, we need the oxygen mask!"

"Hyuuga-san, please step outside…"

All Hizashi remembered was being forced outside of the room, watching through the window as the doctors crowded around her wife. Her beautiful lavender eyes closed slowly and the line on the monitor was more flat than spiked, the beeping slowing, the mountains disappearing. His grip tightened on his newborn son, the hand of Hiashi on his shoulder barely registering. And suddenly, a nurse came and took away his baby boy, saying he had to be monitored and he suddenly felt cold as the line flattened, the beeping turned into a shrill, high, ear piercing, and heartbreaking sound.

At that moment, he felt he lost everything.

-x-

"I am so sorry."

"My deepest condolences, Hizashi-san."

Hizashi kept his head bowed as people muttered words of sympathy, bowing and leaving incense in front of a picture of his wife. Tightening his clenched fists, he took a quick glance at his son, resting in a cradle next to him. He looked around with alert eyes as he sucked his thumb, unaware of the morose situation he was in. His eyes were bright and full of hope, and Hizashi's heart ached for him. No longer did he only have to live as a branch member, but now he would never know his mother either, his beautiful, sweet, kind mother.

It was so unfair, he wanted to yell, he had brought forth a son into such an unfair life, one he wasn't deserving of. It wasn't fair, why did he do this?

"Hizashi."

"Hiashi-nii."

Hiashi was the last of the Hyuugas to come and he knelt down, put his hands together and bowed before leaving the incense. He looked at the picture and smiled softly. "She was beautiful. Truly unique. I am sorry for her untimely death."

_It's because the main branch was far too focused on your wife's flu rather than my wife's disease,_ Hizashi wanted to retort, but kept his mouth shut and nodded his head in agreement. Guilt flooded him for thinking that, because it was evil to think of such ill of his brother's wife. He understood why; the wife of the head of the household had come down with a horrible douse of the flu, and all attention was focused on her. But Hizashi's wife had been sick for such a long time, but little was done to help alleviate her pain because, after all, he was a _branch member_ and she was the wife of a _branch member._ As a _branch member,_ they didn't matter.

She was frail, but beautiful. She coughed often and had a weak immune system, and Hizashi knew it. But she was so optimistic and full of life; her coughing lips almost always smiled and her pale skin was masked by her radiant expressions. Her dull hair was silky smooth, and tired bags insignificant to the light in her eyes. It was an arranged marriage, but Hizashi felt he was so lucky to have fallen in love with her, with such a beautiful and perfect being. But now she was gone, just like everything else good in his life.

Except his son.

"Have you named him yet?" Hiashi asked softly, turning to look at the baby in the crib, laughing as Hiashi's wife bent down and smiled warmly at him. The head of the Hyuuga's eyes softened. "He has his mother's eyes."

Hizashi couldn't help but smile and nod. He had thought about so many names for his son; he and his wife hadn't decided on any, as they weren't sure of the gender. He had toyed around with several, discarding and adopting new ones, waiting for the right one to come. And it did, just moments before he entered here, while he was looking up at the sky.

"Neji. Hyuuga Neji."

And thus, Hyuuga Neji was born.

-x-

"So how are you?"

A brown haired woman sat down across the table in her kitchen, warmly light by the sun's rays that filtered through the hastily pushed back curtains. It wasn't a very clean kitchen, but Hizashi didn't mind. It looked homely, with bread left out from the breakfast earlier that morning, toast still in the toaster, and half finished glasses of orange juice. Behind them, children's laughter joined the sound of a television. About six months had passed and Neji had learned to crawl very early on, at about five months. Whenever Hizashi brought him over, he joked that his son would grow up to be a prodigy.

"Doing well," the Hyuuga smiled, accepting the tea, "And how are you, Meiko?"

Ama Meiko was one of his closest friends outside of the Hyuuga compound. They had grown up together in the Academy, preserving a friendship never tainted with romance. He and her husband got along well and the three, it used to be four, of them often got together and had dinner, so it came to no surprise that their children were spending so much time together. Meiko visited him daily during the first two months after the death of his wife, and he was grateful. Her husband came as often as he could, but as an ANBU squad leader, he was frequently out on missions, such as right now.

The brown haired woman smiled again, wrapping her hands around her cup of tea and looking down, eyes sad. She had some of the most expressive eyes Hizashi had ever seen. Surrounded by eyes that could see all, it was refreshing to see eyes that revealed all. "Do you miss her?"

Hizashi's smile saddened. "Every day."

Meiko nodded quietly and sighed. "It just isn't the same without her… she was so beautiful. I know she would have been a wonderful mother for Neji."

"Just like you are for Tenten."

"Oh, it's hard," Meiko laughed, shaking her head, "She's a handful. While your baby is stealing your scrolls and trying to read them, Tenten's been grabbing kunais and throwing them around. Just the other day I saw her reaching for my katanas up on the shelf. That girl is going to grow up with an obsession for weapons for sure, because normal babies do _not_ play with such sharp things."

"Well, what did you expect?" Hizashi raised an eyebrow, looking amused, "We are shinobi. Our children will grow up to be shinobi as well, and talented ones at that."

And it was true. While Hizashi's wife had retired early from life as a kunoichi and spent most of her days in the Hyuuga compound, helping the little Hyuuga kids with throwing practice, Meiko was active, training daily and going on missions. And when Hizashi's wife became pregnant, she stopped being a kunoichi permanently and focused on how to become a mother. Meiko was truly one of the most talented kunoichi Hizashi had known, with her perseverance, determination, and loyalty. And her husband was as well; together they made an undefeatable duo, both extremely skilled.

Hizashi had high hopes for Neji and Tenten. Neji was already showing signs of promise and interest in Hizashi's Byakugan (when Hizashi activated his, Neji stared in curiosity instead of screaming in fear), and Hizashi was eager for the day when Neji would begin classes at the Academy. And Tenten, well, with Meiko as a mother, Tenten was sure to inherit the stubbornness and loyalty. Meiko also had a hobby for weapons, one that Hizashi could see was being passed onto Tenten already.

The two adults looked at their children crawling around, occasionally stopping when they bumped into things or found something of interest on the floor. They laughed; Neji in his white Hyuuga robes and Tenten in a pink footie pajama that Meiko was in love with (and Tenten hated, evident by her attempts to dirty it by smearing her food on it).

"Wouldn't it be funny," Meiko said suddenly, picking up a cup of tea and sipping it, her brown eyes twinkling in amusement, "if our children grew up and fell in love?"

Hizashi couldn't help but laugh as well, taking a sip. He looked at the two again and smiled.

"It would be."

**Author's Notes: I so deeply apologize for how long this took me. Since the summary is pretty bad and I hope I come up with a better one, this story is like a time lapse of Neji and Tenten's relationship, documenting how their love grows. The title is a musical term and it's to increase sound gradually, and I'm making that analogous to their love because at infants, it's hardly there if at all, but as time passes, they fall in love and it grows stronger. Each chapter will be a different point in their lives (infants, toddlers, genin, etc.) and so if you have a certain "stage" I'll call it (like toddlers or genin) that you'd like me to write, please do tell me and I'll try my best to fit it in. ****Thank you for reading, please review!**


	2. Toddlers

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter two: toddlers.**

Meiko stretched and leaned back, resting against the old tree. She crossed her slender legs and put down the book she was reading, smiling as she watched the children run around and scream as the daycare teacher tried to control them. She couldn't help but laugh; these children were going to be shinobi in the future. The teacher had no chance if they were determined to disobey.

"Still can't let go of Tenten?"

The brown haired woman looked up in surprise, the look softening into a grin as she saw Hizashi approach. He stood by her and leaned against the tree and she didn't bother inviting him to sit down. Hizashi, with his weird Hyuuga manners, rarely sat on the ground if he could help it. Just the fact that he was leaning against the tree and possibly dirtying his robes was enough for her. She turned back to the scene in front of her and shrugged, smiling as she saw Tenten huff and stalk away from a group of girls and pull on Neji's hair, demanding his attention. "I can't help it. She's my little girl and I love watching her. It feels like it was just yesterday that she was crawling around with Neji…"

Hizashi made a low humming sound, indicating his agreement. About four years had passed since his wife's death and Neji had grown up so quickly. He had already seen Neji activate his Byakugan several times (possibly by accident), but the fact that he could even activate it was quite impressive. He hoped Hiashi saw his son's great potential and tried to ignore the little voice reminding him that Neji would never become the head of the Hyuuga, no matter how strong he became. Just the thought made him angry, even now his fists were clenched, but he relaxed. He couldn't be angry at Hiashi, that wasn't fair.

"So what's up in the world of Hyuugas?" Meiko asked without looking at him and his attention was jerked back to reality. "How's Neji? I see he's already inheriting your personality," she added, laughing as he turned around and made some kind of a face at Tenten that clearly irritated her.

Hizashi let out a rare chuckle as he watched Tenten pick up a rock and chuck it at Neji who turned around to talk to someone, hitting his son in the back of his head. Neji turned around and pretty soon, the two were chasing each other around the courtyard, something out of character for Neji except when he was with Tenten. "He's a prodigy."

"Way to be bashful, Hyuuga."

"It's true."

She laughed again and Hizashi sighed, crossing his arms. "Quite disappointed he'll never be the head of the clan though. He is powerful enough, more powerful than any other Hyuuga, perhaps, in the future. But because of that curse seal…" he trailed off quietly, knowing that Meiko would understand. He only explained the seal once, in a monotonous voice, and never revisited it. But she seemed to understand what it meant to him and never pressed the matter further and for that he was grateful. It was ironic how something that destroyed his relationship with his family strengthened his relationship with his closest friend.

"Things may change," she looked up and the smile was contagious, "You never know, Hizashi. Neji's strong, and hopefully the rest of your clan will recognize that. Be optimistic, Hyuuga!" she snapped her book closed and stood up, resting it on her shoulder and the other hand on her hip, head cocked to the side and playful smile still lingering on her lips. "Things can change in a moment, instantaneously. That's my theory."

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Quite a theory you have there."

She smiled still and shrugged. "It's called optimism. Anyway, I've got to go. I've been assigned to an S-rank mission departing tomorrow morning. Wish me luck," she laughed and waved, heading off. Hizashi nodded and watched her leave before turning around and returned to watching his son.

_Things can change in a moment, instantaneously._

Hizashi didn't know that her theory would prove to be true so soon.

-x-

_"Surprise attack…"_

_ "No survivors…"_

_ "So sorry…"_

Hizashi felt his head spin as he took in this information, feeling déjà vu as he stood in the hospital again. Another death, another person so close to him. What had he done to do this, he wanted to ask, why was everything important to him taken away? Instantaneously, he held Neji's hand tighter, as if to reassure himself that he still had his son here with him.

When he heard Meiko and the rest of the shinobi out on the mission were back, he at first was relieved. But then he heard they were back, all bloody messes, in the hospital, his heart sank and he grabbed Neji (who hated being away from his father) and ran to the hospital. The backup squad had arrived in the middle of an ambush, it seemed, and despite them being some of Konoha's strongest, the shinobi from Kumogakure were simply too strong.

Hizashi nodded dumbly as the nurse walked away and he sank down into a chair behind him, pressing his palms against his eyes. He couldn't believe she was gone. She acted like the hope in his life, like a bright beacon that reminded him of the good aspects of his life. And now she was gone, just like that. In a moment, everything changed, just like she had thought.

"Otou-san, where's Tenten?"

_Tenten._

Hizashi's eyes widened and he groaned. What about Tenten? Who was going to tell her? She was currently staying with her grandmother, as she always did when her parents were out. He wondered if her grandmother knew and if Tenten knew. It was only nine in the morning, Hizashi saw as he checked the clock and he stood up shakily, offering a slight smile to Neji.

"Let's… let's go find her."

-x-

When they arrived at Tenten's grandmother's modest apartment, all they heard was screaming and something being thrown around. Hizashi stepped forward and knocked confidently on the door. The minute it opened, Neji squeezed through the crack and ran off into the apartment. Hizashi assumed he found Tenten, for all the ruckus soon stopped. He bowed to Tenten's grandmother and entered as she opened the door for him. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Hideko-san."

The woman smiled, but her puffy eyes couldn't deceive his keen eyes. She sighed and shook her head, her loose bun coming loose and strands of silvery hair cascading down her back as she pulled her shawl tighter around her. "Thank you… but it's Tenten I'm worried about. She overheard when Tsunade-sama came to deliver the news and she's been inconsolable all morning. I don't know… why she deserves this at such a young age," her voice cracked and Hizashi looked around awkwardly, wondering what to do as tears began rolling down her cheeks, "She's just so young and has her whole life ahead of her, now with no parents."

"Tenten… Tenten is a strong girl," Hizashi gently led her over to the couch and sat her down. He went to the kitchen and quickly made some tea and brought it over, setting it in front of her and sat down next to her. She picked it up and took a grateful sip as he continued talking. "This is just an obstacle that she'll overcome. She'll make it; she inherited Meiko's determination and stubbornness."

"I'm very glad she has Neji," Hideko wiped away a few tears and looked up, smiling, "This is the first time she's been quiet all morning. I'm glad that they have such a strong friendship."

Hizashi smiled for the first time that day. When he first heard about Tenten's parents at the hospital, he looked at Neji and had a sudden urge to go to Tenten's, even though etiquette would have insisted he wait a few days. But seeing Neji prompted him to go because he had an inkling that Neji and Tenten would want to see each other; Tenten wanted Neji's company and Neji wanted to offer his support. They were only four years old, but they had a bond of friendship that was very strong for a friendship of only four years. How nice it was, Hizashi thought, to have such a strong friendship to early in life.

"I am too."

-x-

"Tenten?"

"Go away!"

"…Tenten?"

"Go _away_!"

"…_Tenten._"

"…Fine, come in."

She relented, but Neji detected that she still didn't want to see him. Nevertheless, he entered her room cautiously, his silver eyes widening at the disarray. Clothes were everywhere and so were the kunais she kept in tip top condition. Books were thrown all over the place and nothing was in order. It did annoy Neji, to be honest, to see this whirlwind catastrophe, but he pushed that out of his mind and walked over to Tenten who was curled up on her bed, face buried in her pillow and shoulders shaking.

He didn't understand everything that was said at the hospital, but what he did understand was more than enough to piece together what had happened. And though he didn't show it, he hurt on the inside for her. His mother had died before he even got to know her and he missed her, so he couldn't imagine what it was like for Tenten to lose both parents at once, both of whom she knew so well. He sat down on her bed next to her, listening to her cry and stared down at his feet.

He couldn't cry. Hyuugas didn't cry. Boys didn't cry. He was a Hyuuga boy, so that gave him two reasons to not cry.

But he also couldn't cry because he had to be strong for her. If Tenten saw him crying, that would make her even sadder. So he had to be strong and tell her that everything is going to be okay.

"…I'm sorry about your parents."

A sniffle.

He looked down and played around with his fingers, frowning sadly. He was constantly being praised about how smart he was. But if he was so smart, why didn't he know what to say to comfort Tenten? She was his closest friend, even though she probably had cooties. But she was sad and he didn't know how to make her happy again. He equated Tenten with happy. So to have Tenten not be happy, everything was wrong and Neji didn't like it when things are wrong.

"It'll be okay, I promise," he spoke up again, trying his best to say the right words, "I'll… I'll go with you to the funeral. And then we can go give them flowers every day and talk to them. And you'll never be alone, I promise. We'll be friends forever."

Another sniffle, but it was softer and her shoulders weren't shaking as hard. He looked at her and then away again. She still hadn't said anything and he sighed, hopping off her bed, deciding to go ask his dad what he was supposed to say. But the minute he hopped off the bed, she spoke up, her voice frail and weak sounding.

"Neji, can you stay?"

"Yeah," he blinked and resumed his sitting position on her bed. Maybe, he thought, all he could offer was his presence. Just to be by someone else at a time like this would be comforting enough because it would remind her that she wasn't alone and he was always there.

"Neji?"

"Yeah?"

"…Friends forever?" she stuck out a finger with the pinky out and he stared at it, smiling and he linked his own pinky with hers.

"Forever."

**Author's Notes: And now the focus shifts onto Neji and Tenten! Slowly moving away from the parents and focusing on the development of their relationship. I also have no idea where I'm going to end this. It'll either be around when they're ANBU or old, like grandparents old… what would you guys like? Thanks for reading, please review!**


	3. The Academy

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter three: the academy.**

"Bye Neji!"

Seven year old Hyuuga Neji waved goodbye to Tenten and turned around, stepping through the wooden doors leading to Hyuuga manor. It made him sad that he could never have Tenten over, but he got used to it. Besides, there wouldn't even be anything to do. When they played, they required lots of space and the knowledge that if they broke something they wouldn't get in trouble. At Hyuuga manor, if they even left a scuff mark on the floor, they were sure to be scolded.

A few years had passed since the death of Tenten's parents, and Neji had stuck by her side all this time. And to his great pleasure, she was soon back to her normal self. They could even talk about her parents without her starting to cry. But when she did, Neji always had tissues ready. Because he was that kind of friend.

Today had been a good day, young Neji mused as he took off his shoes when he entered his home and walked towards the training room where Hizashi told his son to go after school. He made sure to keep his head bowed and to not look at any of the Hyuuga elders; this he had figured out by watching how his father and the others acted around the elders. They only looked at them if directly asked to. Neji didn't know why, he barely understood the difference between the main and branch houses, but he did as he saw others do; the last thing he wanted to do was get his father in trouble because he realized when he did something bad, his father was the one to pay the consequences.

Once he reached the sliding doors, he took off his backpack and bowed his head as he entered the room, making sure the door didn't clatter noisily as he opened it. When he heard an 'enter' from Hiashi, he raised his head and quietly padded over to kneel down next to his father, who smiled at him quickly, and Neji smiled back happily. He looked up and saw Hiashi there with Hinata who hid behind her father's legs, looking shyly at Neji and Hizashi, as well as a few of the other Hyuuga elders.

He wondered why they were all here. Not that he didn't like them; Neji didn't harbor any particularly negative feelings towards Hinata, as he just knew her as his cousin that barely talked and was always hiding behind something. But it was a few days before her third birthday, so he figured they must be talking about that.

"On Hinata's third birthday, it is customary for the cursed seal…"

Ah, Neji thought triumphantly, he was _right._ He turned to his side to tell him that his genius mind had deduced the reason for this meeting but was surprised to see that he was angry and glowering at Hiashi, clenching his fists. The young Hyuuga felt a scary chakra and looked at Hiashi, who seemed to sense this aura as well as next thing he knew, Hiashi had formed a hand seal and his father was crying out in pain on the floor.

"T-tou-chan! What's the matter?"

He wasn't sure what to do, if he could even do anything to alleviate the pain. His eyes were wide and he felt himself trembling from fear, too scared to touch him but feeling useless by just watching. Looking towards Hiashi, he saw Hinata give a sharp gasp and cower behind her father and when his eyes landed on Hiashi and that distasteful scowl, Neji grit his teeth and glared at the nonchalance from him while not only inflicting this pain but also watching it.

He remembered a line his father always said to him, but he never thought much about because he didn't understand it. _Neji, it is my biggest regret that you were not born into the main house._

His glare intensified as Hiashi raised his hand and formed another seal, and his father stopped writhing in pain and calmed down, yet still panting heavily. Hiashi didn't give him a second glance, instead he just motioned for Hinata to follow him as he and the other Hyuuga elders left the training room quietly, unaware of Neji's glare, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

And at age seven, Neji felt hatred towards the main house for the first time.

-x-

Tenten was a very understanding person by nature but she still didn't understand, at age nine, why Neji hated the main family _so much._ She didn't try to tell him that he should like them, of course. They barely talked about the main family and when they did Neji would always reply with short answers, which effectively scared her into talking about something else.

To be honest, the young girl actually liked the main house. She knew Hinata was in it and she seemed like a very sweet girl, always obediently going to find Neji when Tenten asked for him. She had one of the cutest smiles Tenten ever saw; her lavender eyes would crinkle and her pale cheeks would flush with happiness. She was one of those girls that Tenten would love to befriend, if Neji wouldn't hate her guts forever.

Living with her grandmother, Tenten often got bored, which was why tonight she was sleeping over at the Hyuuga manor. She had promised to be incredibly quiet and stealthy, so that the only three that knew she was there were Neji, Hinata, and Hizashi. No one checked up on Neji since everyone knew how responsible he was, so she was safe sleeping over in his room, whispering quietly with him until they both fell asleep. But Tenten had grown hungry and snuck out, being sure to conceal her chakra as best she could. She felt guilty for taking a piece of bread but made sure to leave a note and a few yen (hopefully it would be enough) and was on her way back to Neji's dark room when she noticed that one of the meeting rooms was lit up and the sliding door was slightly ajar.

Her curiosity got the best of her and she laid down on the floor so the wooden frame of the door hit her small frame and she listened in, picking up the words "Kumogakure ninja…" and "Hiashi…" and "Byakugan secrets." She frowned and scooted up so she could see what was going on and saw several of the Hyuuga elders as well as Hizashi and Hiashi and by the tone of their voices, it was not a friendly discussion.

"All I'm saying is that there is absolutely no need for this nonsense! We cannot give them the head of our clan, especially since they tried to kidnap our heir!" one of the elders exclaimed angrily and the others agreed vehemently. Tenten suddenly remembered Neji saying that there was a kidnap attempt recently; some ninja from a neighboring village tried to kidnap Hinata. They were stopped, thankfully, but, judging by his dark look, it wasn't so simple.

"If we refuse, there is sure to be a conflict."

"Hiashi-sama, I am sure we can negotiate this. They are the ones that are wrong!"

Tenten rolled her eyes and stood up, creeping back into Neji's room, munching on her bread and offering him half of it when he sat up and asked her where she had gone (apparently when she left, she had woken him and he laid in bed waiting for her return.) As he reprimanded her about being so careless, the conversation she had overheard was pushed out of her mind.

After all, she thought, it was just the Hyuugas disagreeing over something.

-x-

When Tenten's parents died, she thought that she had lost everything.

Her parents had been everything to her; she grew up with them, loving them, being loved by them. Then suddenly they were gone and she didn't have a chance to say goodbye and she couldn't fathom what it was like for Neji to grow up without a mother.

So when her grandmother told her that Neji hadn't been going to school for the last few days because his father died, Tenten instantly bolted out the door and sprinted straight to the Hyuuga compound, ignoring the protests of maids and Hyuugas as she ran through the building, muddy shoes leaving dirty prints on the freshly cleaned floors, never stopping until she threw open the sliding door to her best friend's door.

"Neji! Why didn't you tell me?" she couldn't help but blurt out angrily, tears blurring her vision. She almost took a step in but remembered to kick her shoes off and leave them outside to keep Neji's floor clean (something he was insanely picky about). She walked over slowly, clenching her fists as he looked at her, silver eyes empty, hitai-ate off, and a sardonic smile that had never been there before. "Why…" she repeated again, wondering why she was the one overflowing with emotions and not him, "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you suffer by yourself for the last three days?"

He shrugged and looked out the window again, not answering her. He wasn't crying but she knew he had. For one, his eyes, though not red and swollen, simply meant he hadn't cried before she came. But they were tired looking, so he obviously hadn't been sleeping well. She spotted tissues in a nearby trash can and he was quiet, a scary quiet, not the quiet that he was known for. This was the quiet that happened only when something bad happened and he didn't want to show how upset he was; thus was not a good quiet.

She climbed onto his bed and knelt beside him, sniffling loudly and bringing up a hand to roughly brush away her tears. "Obaa-chan told me about your dad."

"Hn."

"I'm really sorry about him."

"Hn."

"I really liked him. He was always so nice."

"…" for the first time, he spoke. "Yes he was."

She looked down, playing with the fabric of her pants awkwardly. "I'm here for you, you know that, right?" she blurted out, looking up suddenly, tears welling up again, "Because… because you were there for me. And so now it's my turn. To be here for you. Because we're best friends. Right?"

"Hn."

"Stop grunting at me, you stupid swine!" she cried out, feeling only slightly satisfied when he looked at her, eyes widened the tiniest, "Show some freaking emotion! Your dad just died and I know how much you loved him! You don't have to act cool just because the main family is outside! I don't know what happened and I don't know why, all I know is that you're sad and you're hurt and you won't let me help! You're pretending you're strong but you're human, okay? So… so let me help you! Because I want to help you!"

"You really want to help?" he asked, voice soft, and gaze returned to the window. He heard her say yes and sighed, closing his eyes, still hurting from all the crying in the past three days. It was true; he was so hurt and angry, but he didn't want to show it. He didn't know why but the main family took his father away and if it was to make him sad, he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. But he couldn't lie to Tenten; he just couldn't. He figured he would tell her the truth eventually, just not now, when it was still so raw, fresh, and painful of a memory.

"Just sit with me," he continued, voice low, never looking at her, "Just… be quiet. Don't say anything. And stay."

He heard and felt her move so she was more comfortable and he moved over slightly so she could sit next to him. They were so close that he felt her arm brush against his occasionally and usually he would have moved away, because he hated such close contact. But this was an exception; he liked knowing she was right there because it comforted him, knowing that Tenten was still here.

He was reminded of when her parents died, how he had gone to be there for her. She was crying and throwing a fit, being so vocal about her emotions. And now here they were, roles reversed, reactions reversed; he was the quiet one still, she was the vocal one still. But the bottom line was they were still there for each other.

It was comforting to know she was still here. Someone that he knew cared for him, someone that he could trust was still here.

The main branch took his father, he thought bitterly, but at least he still had his best friend.

**Author's Notes: My goal for this story is to create the effect of moments that illustrate how they grow up and fall in love, so the choppiness and time skips are for that. But at the same time, I really don't like how it's choppy. So I'm hoping to find a happy medium.**

**And on a totally unrelated side note, would you, lovely readers, want a SasuSaku or NejiTen next? I have ideas for both that I'm fairly sure I will be able to carry out to completion and the summaries are on my profile; SasuSaku is romance and angst and NejiTen is romance and humor. I'm already planning what to start once a few stories are finished, haha. Your input is very much appreciated!**

**Thank you for reading, please review!**


	4. Genin

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter four: genin.**

"I am Maito Gai!"

Two confused genin and one that looked like he could care less sat in front of this eccentric man on top of a balcony, overlooking most of Konoha. When Tenten saw him approaching, she started praying fervently that a. this wasn't the jounin for their team and b. if he was, he wouldn't make them get those horrid spandex suits.

So for it seemed half her prayers would be answered.

The strange jounin with a bowl cut grinned and gave them a thumbs up, a pose that Neji and Tenten nicknamed the "Nice Guy" pose. Tenten glanced around her, seeing Lee who was staring at him strangely as well and Neji who was looking off to the side nonchalantly. She giggled softly and when Neji looked over in curiosity, she shook her head and returned her attention to Gai.

"Well then, why don't we introduce ourselves? As I've said, I am Gai! I will be your team leader and together we will all blossom to our potential, forever remaining youthful!" he nodded his head as he said this then turned to Lee, "Well then! Introduce yourself, young man!"

"I am Rock Lee," Lee said slowly then when he saw Gai's reassuring smile, he grinned back and jumped on his feet, "I will become a powerful shinobi without any ninjutsu or genjetsu, only taijutsu!"

"Stupid," Neji muttered under his breath as Gai nodded approvingly and Tenten elbowed him, but Lee already heard. Immediately, he scowled and turned towards him.

"What did you say?"

"Stupid," Neji repeated, louder this time and smirking, "You really think you can become a powerful shinobi without any ninjutsu or genjetsu? It's impossible. You can't change your fate."

"I will! And one day I'll beat you!"

"Right."

Tenten sighed; as they grew up, they still remained close friends but just as Tenten became more tomboyish, Neji became more arrogant and focused on fate and the belief that it can't be changed, which led him to be quite… annoying on certain subjects. And it didn't help that he had been the strongest in their class back in the Academy (as well as the attention of all the girls); it boosted his ego which made him feel he had the right to "put people in their places" as he called it.

"Neji, stop it," she admonished him and he made a 'tch' sound and looked away, then she turned to Lee, "Lee, stop. Neji's a genius. You'll never beat him."

"A genius, huh? What does that mean? 'Genius'? So I was not born with a whole lot of natural talent, not gifted like Neji. But I work hard and I never give up!" Tenten and Gai, even Neji, looked at him suddenly, hearing the passion develop in his voice and the fire blaze in his eyes, "That is my gift; that is my ninja way!"

_Good,_ Gai thought, smiling as he surveyed his new team who began arguing again, _these three have potential. Hyuuga Neji, the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan. Tenten, the talented weapons mistress. And Rock Lee, the underdog that will surely become one of Konoha's strongest._

"Good!" at the sound of his voice, the three stopped and looked at him. Gai grinned, giving them another thumbs up. "I cannot wait to begin working as a team!"

-x-

A few months elapsed and Team Gai had truly become Team Gai. They still bickered, much like the first day, with Neji and Lee arguing that fate couldn't and could be changed and Tenten acted as the mediator, trying to keep peace as Gai watched with amusement, only stepping in when they began fighting and it was too dangerous for Tenten to interfere.

After their initial meeting, Gai had taken Lee under his wing, helping to train him. Not as a favorite, because Gai didn't have a favorite for he loved all three of them equally, but because he, as Lee's mentor, wanted to help him achieve his dream. And somehow, somewhere along the way, Lee had began to worship him and looked like his son, which Gai found rather sweet. Just as Lee seemed to blossom from the uncertain boy on that first day to this more confident, cheerful genin, Gai watched Neji and Tenten grow closer and stronger. The Hyuuga began working harder and harder as well as the weapons mistress.

And then a year passed, and Gai didn't allow his team to partake in the Chuunin Exams. They protested vehemently, just as he expected, and they were angry with him, just as he expected. He remembered calling them together at their training spot and delivering the news, watching the expectant faces drop and smoothly dodging each of their attacks.

Neji's Jyuuken was deadly if angry enough, Tenten's aim was immaculate, and Gai had taught Lee extremely powerful moves, something he almost regretted at that moment. But they were still genin, still _inexperienced_ genin against a well seasoned jounin, and so he had no trouble avoiding the attacks calmly until they wore themselves out, all on the ground, panting and tired.

_"Now if you'll listen," Gai crossed his arms, looking down at his team uncharacteristically serious, "I did not sign you up because I did not believe in you. I do believe in you—there is no doubt in my mind that you will all become excellent chuunins eventually. But you are not ready yet. It is a dangerous exam."_

_ "But all the other genin teams are taking it!" Tenten protested immediately, "The ones that graduated the Academy with us! We're going to be a year behind now! They're going to think we're a team of failures or something!"_

_ "You are not failures. It is not your fault you are not taking it; ultimately, it is up to the jounin to decide. And I have decided that you are just not ready, both mentally and physically. Physically, it is a grueling test and while you three are all strong, there will be stronger genin there. The first year after your Academy graduation is the first time you are allowed to take the exams, but that does not mean you have to take it then. There will be older genin, more experienced. The exam is also about trickery, about mentally outsmarting others and being clever. You have not had enough experienced in that area. I will not send you three to that exam unless I know you are more than ready; I do not want you three to barely pass. I want you to pass with flying colors, to let everyone know that Team Gai is a team to be reckoned with."_

_ There was no response and the three looked down shamefully, as if ashamed to have disrespected Gai by protesting his decision. Because deep down they all trusted him and knew that he knew best; that was why he was a jounin, after all. They didn't want to wait; they wanted to become chuunin and be able to go on harder missions and get stronger. Team Gai was characterized by their desire to improve themselves, always believing they could push themselves more._

_ "We won't let you down, Gai-sensei!" Lee was the first back on his feet and he clenched his feet, smiling with a determined expression, "Next year when we take the exam, we will be sure to pass it and make you proud!"_

_ "That's right!" Tenten got up next, smiling brightly and Neji followed, smirking._

_ "That's the spirit," Gai nodded, feeling pride swell up inside of him._

At the end of the second round of the exams, Gai wished he had waited another year. Or he had let them take it a year earlier. Anything to avoid Sabaku no Gaara.

-x-

"Lee…"

Tenten took a wobbly step forward, her eyes brimming with tears that dripped onto the plastic of the bouquet of flowers she was holding. Neji was behind her, eyes dry but scowling, seeing his teammate asleep on the bed with too many bandages on him, far too many. Gai, standing on the other side of Lee, put a finger up to his lips to tell them to try to stay quiet, unusually solemn.

The flowers were placed on the nightstand, along with all the other gifts that had been brought to him. Tenten clenched her fists and when Neji saw her shoulders start shaking, he put his arm around her, something that was out of his character but needed for this occasion. When he saw Tenten lose her battle, he thought it was bad; he almost jumped down himself to catch her when Temari coldheartedly threw her off her fan (he would never forget how she coughed up blood and could only imagine the pain) but knew she wouldn't want any help. But watching Lee's fight was _painful_, his injuries were so severe, surely…

"Tsunade-sama says it doesn't look good for him," Gai said softly, looking at Lee's sleeping face and frowning, "He may have to stop being a ninja."

"No…" immediately, Tenten spoke, her voice shaking, "But... Tsunade-sama… isn't Tsunade-sama here? She's legendary, isn't there something she can do? She has to do something! It's not fair, Lee's worked so hard, it can't all be over because of one stupid battle!"

"Tenten, let's go outside. Goodbye, Gai-sensei," Neji nodded at Gai and without giving Tenten a chance to protest, turned her around and nearly shoved and steered her out of the hospital, ignoring the curious looks of the nurses and other patients. He didn't stop until they were outside and as soon as the door slammed shut, she turned around.

"_Neji!_ What are you doing? We should've stayed, we could've found Tsunade-sama, we could've explained, we could've begged, do you not care, do you…"

"Tenten, stop it," Neji's voice cut hers off and immediately she stopped, knowing that she had made the terrible mistake of accusing Neji of not caring when he did, "Don't you think Gai-sensei would've already done all that? He cares for Lee just as much as we do; anything we could do he already has. And of course I care about him. You and I both know how terrible it is to be in the hospital for someone we care about," he looked up, eyes dark, "I want Lee to recover. I want him to tell me he'll beat me. I want to fight him again. And I know he will. Because he's Lee and he'll never give this up because this is his dream."

"…This isn't fair," she whispered, clenching her fists. They had grown so close over the years and beneath the teasing, they all wished for each other to reach their goals and become successful and obtain happiness. "This isn't fair at all."

"It's okay," when she looked up, she was surprised at the serenity on Neji's face, the confidence around him as he looked up at Lee's window, a soft smile on his face, "It's okay," he repeated, "It'll all be okay." He then turned to her and she felt butterflies in her stomach; he suddenly looked so mature and masculine, the confidence that was always around him finally made him seem grown up instead of arrogant and his strong confidence in Lee's ability to recover and reach his dreams was so strong that it comforted her. "I promise."

Looking back, she felt that may be the beginning of when she fell in love.

-x-

"That was the stupidest thing ever—did you see that?—he used the Kyuubi's chakra—that's not fair!—he should be disqualified, that has to be against the rules—trust me, everyone was shocked—I can't believe this, Neji, are you listening?"

The minute she saw Hiashi leave, Tenten immediately burst in, ready to explode about Neji's loss. Hearing him explain his father's death was painful but she also couldn't help but smile and be envious of his courage; she could never stand in front of everyone and tell everyone something that personal. But when Naruto came out of the ground and defeated him, once she saw that everything was wiped from her memory because of pure disbelief. How, _how_ had the Uzumaki kid beaten Neji?

He was looking up and out the window quietly and once she finished her rant, he turned to her, a soft smile gracing his features. "Tenten, it's all right. I'm… glad it ended this way."

"_What?"_ her screech hurt his ears, "Neji, you did _not_ deserve to lose!"

"Naruto," he said calmly, interrupting her, "is like Lee. They weren't born prodigies and they wish to defeat people like me. I'm… glad that Naruto beat me. Not only is it symbolic of Lee and how one day he will defeat me in a spar but also because he has proven me wrong. Just because you were born with a predestined fate doesn't mean you can't work hard to try to change it. And sometimes you can, if you work hard enough. I don't have to spend the rest of my life despising the main house for what they did, especially after learning the truth."

"The truth?" she asked, calming down. _That must be why Hiashi-san was in here…_

Neji nodded, the soft look never leaving his eyes, "My father… wasn't forced into giving up his own life. It was his choice. And if he can make that kind of a sacrifice for the Hyuuga clan, that shows how even as a branch member, he is still so loyal, willing to go to any lengths to protect the head of his clan. How can I hate the people that my father gave his life for to protect?"

Tenten opened her mouth but closed it again and sighed, smiling, all her anger dissipating. She had been angry partly because she thought he would be angry, but to see him all right with this calmed her down because all she wanted was for him to be happy. She smiled and walked over next to him, joining him in looking out the window.

She was happy for him; happy that he wasn't angry (still slightly annoyed about it though), happy that he learned the truth, happy that he was happy. In all honesty, after hearing this, she was quite glad that his mindset was changing. She never told him off about it because she figured that everyone had something he clung onto, but she did always wish that Neji would be less stubborn. And now she got her wish.

_Thank you, Uzumaki Naruto._

"Eight birds," she noted as she saw a flock of birds fly by. Birds were Neji's favorite animal; he always wanted to be a freed bird and she respected that. She loved the idea of flying, though their interpretations of flying away were different.

"No," he shook his head softly, remembering how he had made that mistake before his battle, and soon enough another bird flew by, which surprised Tenten but not Neji whose Byakugan wasn't even on, "Nine."

**Author's Notes: Hi, I didn't forget about this. This chapter was kind of hard to write mainly because I wanted to talk about what they actually did while genin which was… a lot, haha. And I changed some things that actually happened (the scene where they meet Gai isn't exactly what happened in the manga) but I did take an actual quote of Lee's (and used it in the wrong scene but whatever.) I have AP testing coming up soon and so updates will be quite rare until after May 16, which is my last test. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	5. Chuunin

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter five: chuunin.**

Neji was the first to pass the Chuunin Exam, something that had been expected by everyone in Team Gai anyway. It took Tenten and Lee another try and so the Hyuuga waited for them before Team Gai decided to celebrate their advancement. He was patient and kind in helping Tenten train as Lee and Gai worked together on his taijutsu.

Tenten wasn't used to failing. She wasn't used to not succeeding on the first try and to be beaten by Temari during the first Chuunin Exams was a blow to her pride, one that took her several weeks to get over. But during that entire time, Neji was kind and helped her through it, reminding her that it was one loss, that loss was what made them stronger.

Ever since those exams, Neji changed and Tenten had noticed it immediately. He was kinder and more patient, more open and more emotional. He smiled more often and wasn't as dead set on fate and destiny, allowing the belief that if one worked hard enough, he could change and do whatever he achieved. She could see this in how he treated Lee; he didn't sneer at him anymore. Instead, he encouraged him even and sparred with him more frequently.

She loved this change because this new Neji seemed happier and when Neji was happy, she couldn't help but feel happy as well.

She had long ago come to accept the fact that she had a crush on him, something that had developed quietly. That she didn't just want to be his friend, but rather wanted to be with him constantly, feeling a pit of jealousy in her stomach when she saw other girls talking to him, feeling an expansion of relief when he dismissed them easily.

Training remained the same because she was able to mask her feelings well; she wouldn't let something like this get in the way of their friendship, that strong bond that she had known for so long. He was her childhood best friend and he probably only saw her as that and she was all right with that. As long as she could be with him, she figured it was fine. As long as he wasn't anyone else's, it was all right.

She found that she wanted to impress him; not only was her goal to improve her own techniques, but to also blow him away with the beauty of weaponry and what it could truly do. She wanted him to feel her passion, to see it first hand, to understand it; she wanted to share her love with the person that had always been there for her, like a kind of appreciation.

"You're improving quickly."

With a final wave of her hand, her weapons disappeared in a puff of smoke and the girl offered Neji a smile, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's not that hard when you've got Hyuuga Neji as your sparring partner. Trust me."

He smirked and unscrewed his water bottle as they began walking together, taking a long sip. The sun was setting, which meant that their training session was over. The exam date was drawing closer and closer, and as a result, training session were longer and longer. Neji didn't really care if they were benefitting him; he chose to "train" techniques that allowed Tenten to work on hers, even if they were fine already.

"Are you ready for the exams?"

Her brown eyes lit up and she began talking energetically about how this time she would absolutely dominate in every round. He smirked as he listened to her and how determined she was, especially to see Temari again.

"I'm going to kick her ass this time!"

He laughed quietly as he listened to her; just moments earlier she was dead tired, almost too exhausted to walk home. But within moments, she was rejuvenated and energized again, bouncing back so quickly. That was a quality he always liked about her, something that made her so reliable in missions. When she seemed like she was completely out of energy, she would tap into that reserve and instantly be able to hold out for a bit longer until the completion of the mission.

If he was to be completely honest, he supposed he was a bit worried for her deep down. He had no doubts in her skills and abilities but, really, sometimes it was all about luck. For her weapons to go against a wind style user like Temari, the chances of her winning against someone else would be much different.

But at the same time, he had absolutely no doubt in his mind that she would pass this round. She was Tenten, his sparring partner and best friend. Once she put her mind to something, she achieved it. No one thought that perfect aim was possible but she proved them wrong with enough hard work.

"Are you going to watch the exams?" she asked, turning to him. Neji looked back, the smirk on his face widening.

"Of course."

-x-

Neji had no doubt in his mind that Tenten would pass the exams. Lee, as well, of course.

Well, now that they had passed there was no doubt in his mind. He had always been a pessimist and though he had changed quite a bit from the battle with Naruto, it was difficult to just simply alter his mindset completely. He couldn't help but have that little inkling of doubt, but he didn't consider that a bad thing; he was being realistic and considering anything that could happen. But he was sure that she could pass and, of course, she did.

"Congratulations! To Team Gai all advancing to chuunin!"

The four raised their glasses and clinked them together, Lee and Gai letting out yelps of joy, Tenten laughing, and Neji just shook his head in exasperation but couldn't help but let a small smile creep up on his lips. Even though he had the utmost faith in his teammates, he was nervous these last few days while watching the exams.

"This marks a milestone for everyone!" Gai spoke and the three fell quiet, listening to him intently, "You are no longer children, no longer beginning shinobi. This is different from graduating the Academy; you are no longer the newbies and you will no longer be sent on missions that are simply about finding lost animals. You are chuunin; you are leaders now. And I expect you all to demonstrate what you have learned while on Team Gai and what you will continue learning!"

"Yosh, Gai-sensei!"

In unison, Neji and Tenten sighed as Gai and Lee proceeded to have another student and teacher bonding moment, as the two other members of Team Gai just turned to each other, completely used to this.

"Sorry you had to wait this long to celebrate," she grinned at him, "I know you hate to be kept waiting."

"Well worth it," he answered and clinked his glass to hers softly and took a sip, hardly noticing her small blush as he was preoccupied with fighting down his own.

He had always had a soft spot for Tenten, always cared for her a bit more than he did for others and not in a simple teammate or brotherly way. It wasn't something he cared to voice publically, yet not something he wouldn't mind sharing with her, just at the opportune time. He easily acknowledged these feelings as feelings of infatuation.

They were just feelings of infatuation, he had told himself, it would hardly matter if she knew of them or not. The thing with Tenten was that she was kind, almost exceedingly so; she could be too aware of other's feelings and would consider them too much. If he told her of his feelings and she didn't reciprocate them, he was afraid she would spend too much time lingering on them, hoping to not hurt him.

And he didn't want her to do that, to waste her time on something that would probably pass. He could handle the feelings, he always told himself, he could. Sometimes they would drive him to do things like subtly chase away anyone that dared try to ask Tenten out on a date, but most of the time he managed to keep them under control when with her.

As long as she wasn't with anyone else, Neji decided he was perfectly fine with waiting this out.

After all, he thought, this infatuation phase was just that: a phase.

**Author's Notes: I have no words to express how sorry I am that I didn't update this. I know this was short especially after a long wait but I plan on making the next two longer as those will be the final two. Thank you for your patience and reviews are very much appreciated!**


	6. Jounin

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter six: jounin.**

Tenten distinctively remembered two things about becoming a jounin.

One was that Neji helped her train. Not just regular training sessions but more intense, longer, harder; her muscles were sore and her body ached after every session but she really felt like she improved. Neji was the first to become a jounin in Team Gai and she could understand why. Because aside from his strength and his prodigal mind that was adept for leadership, he had the determination, the courage, the level headedness.

Being a jounin meant being a leader, guiding people, telling them what to do, bearing the pressure, the responsibility, the duties. Not everyone could become a jounin; some stayed as chuunin which, Tenten thought, was perfectly fine; there was no need to become a jounin if you didn't want to, if you didn't need to. But she wanted to become a member of the ANBU and for that, she had to become a jounin first.

And, well, she never told Neji but she had always used him as a kind of milestone; if he became a chuunin, she would too, if he became a jounin, she would too. She didn't want to lag behind the person she respected and was in love with.

_In love with._

From the years of being a chuunin to deciding she wanted to become a jounin, she had fallen in love with him. It was slowly and hardly noticeable at first but when the notion crossed her mind she began to fall hard and fall fast, landing on her stomach, all the wind knocked out of her.

_I'm in love with him,_ she had laid awake thinking so many times in her bed, staring up in a dark ceiling.

After a few weeks of adjusting to the idea, it became bearable to be around him without stuttering or turning bright red, which she all acclaimed to a supposed cold when Neji asked her if she was all right.

She couldn't help it, after all. No one could help falling in love, whether it was at the right time or with the right person. All Tenten knew was that she was in love with Neji who happened to be her best friend, her teammate, her training partner. Good time? Not sure. Right person? She hoped. But she wasn't sure.

Neji would give her pointers for the jounin exam, telling her just what to expect, helping her to train the techniques that would help her most, pointing out what knowledge she would need to know, giving her advice on how to think up of strategies on the spot when given hypothetical situations on missions.

She wasn't sure what Neji was thinking when they were preparing but she did know that when their hands brushed or when Neji leaned over and was just that close to her, her heart began to beat faster and she found herself holding her breath. He'd always glance at her and at one point asked her if all these fevers were normal. She had laughed and said that she was fine, she got sick easily when stressed.

And then he offered to take her home and she wasn't sure if she had actually heard right. She, of course, just shook her head and laughed, saying that really, she was fine, just a bit warm.

It came as a surprise to her how caring and kind Neji was. Growing up with him, he was typically cold to most people and she always considered herself the exception because they were best friends. But Neji tended to avoid sick people, not wanting to sick himself (although Tenten really wasn't sick—just lovesick.)

Nevertheless, they continued to study together. When she asked why he wasn't helping Lee he shrugged, saying that Lee hadn't asked him for help and he was training with Gai anyway. She then said that Lee would appreciate everything that Neji was telling her and he glanced over, a lazy smirk on his lips and he said he'd rather spend time with her.

Tenten had to excuse herself and hide in the bathroom until her blush went down.

The second thing that she remembered distinctively about being a jounin happened at the celebration dinner when Team Gai was celebrating that they all became jounin (Gai's treat because he lost a bet against Neji.) It had been a lovely dinner, Tenten though, the four of them just laughing and relaxing over barbecue; even Neji cracked a smile every now and then and laughed, seeming to genuinely enjoy himself.

Gai made a speech and Tenten found herself actually tearing up which Neji teased her for and Lee stood up for her, chastising Neji who retorted back, although in his own playful way and Tenten found herself laughing. It had been so long since they all relaxed together, just genuinely relaxing and enjoying each other's company. They were with each other often but it was usually on missions or training; they didn't have an opportunity to relax. They were usually on guard or tired, short, clipped conversations in hushed tones.

But here in the restaurant they were celebrating and talking about everything but missions and training.

What made that night special happened after dinner, though. Gai and Lee had gone home and Neji was walking Tenten home, something he always did and Tenten found quite gentlemanly of him to do. He knew she could easily take care of herself but did so anyway. Tenten had no complaints about his chivalry.

They were conversing quietly as they walked to her house because, after all, it was ten and most people were enjoying a quiet night and they didn't want to disturb them. Tenten didn't remember what they were talking about, did it matter?, but she knew they were talking until they reached her home.

_"Thank you for walking me home,"_ she had said as she always did, smiling at him, her hand on the doorknob. Usually he would give a curt nod and turn around to return home himself but that night he didn't, simply stood still. Tenten found this odd and so she didn't go inside her apartment, instead tilting her head and asking him if there was something he wanted.

He had looked up at her and asked with a straight face _"do you believe in love?"_

The girl had been caught off guard by the question; why would Neji ask that? It seemed so out of character for him to even think about love, a concept that she was sure he thought frivolous. She had stared at him but quickly regained composure and cleared her throat.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" he had hesitated and frowned, "Do you believe that two people can fall in love, share a bond so deep that it would never be broken? That they would have such strong feelings for each other for the rest of their lives, place each other's happiness above their own, vow to always protect, always stay with the other?"

Her mouth went dry as she listened to him say this, wondering if he had read her mind because everything he said was how she felt about him. She had nodded, mumbling a quite 'yes' which he seemed to accept.

She wondered what he was going to do next as they stared at each other awkwardly, silently. He then opened his mouth and bade her a farewell, leaving her quite disappointed as he turned around and began his walk home.

But, she berated herself as she opened her door and went in, slipping her shoes off and walking to the kitchen to make herself some tea to relax, what had she been expecting? Hyuuga Neji was not romantic, no in the least sense. The fact that he even knew what the concept of love was was actually rather surprising to her.

She waited until the kettle began whistling and took it off the stove, watching the hot water pour into her mug, steam rising. When it was nearly full, she replaced the kettle on the stove and put a hand to the mug experimentally to test it. Too hot, she had decided and leaned against the counter, waiting for it to cool down.

Her cheeks were still warm, she mused when she brought her hands up to her cheeks, closing her eyes and smiling.

She still couldn't believe Neji had asked her that; it was so odd, so out of the ordinary for him. He could be kind but never had he approached that subject, a topic that Neji would have categorized into the "too mushy."

Looking around her kitchen she suddenly remembered that her apartment was long overdue for a good clean; she had been neglecting it because of missions, studying, training, and just laziness. Her microwave was the only thing she kept clean because she needed it for her food but her refrigerator was poorly stocked and it was a miracle that her stove still worked.

A knock came at her door suddenly and, wondering who could possibly be finding her at this late an hour, Tenten headed over. She had a hand on her weapon pouch just in case as she opened the door but relaxed when she saw it was Neji.

_"Neji?"_ she had asked, frowning, _"Did you forget something?"_

_"I believe I am in love with you,"_ he had said without hesitation and her eyes widened, _"The kind of love where I will love you for the rest of my life, put your happiness above mine, always protect you, always be with you. That kind of love."_

_ He never asked her out but she didn't mind."_

She didn't need him to "make it official" or a label; what was mattered was that they were in love. She never referred to him as her boyfriend just because she didn't see a need to; he was hers, she was his, that was all there was to it.

From that day on, they were "together."

**.author's notes: oh man, this was short. next chapter will be the last and i imagine it to be lengthier than this, haha. i hope you enjoyed this chapter, i'm so sorry for the wait. thank you for reading and reviews are always very much appreciated!.**


	7. ANBU

**.disclaimer: don't own.**

**.chapter seven: anbu.**

Just as Tenten remembered two things distinctively about being a jounin, Neji remembered just one thing about becoming an ANBU squad captain.

There were other memories that he remembered but not with as much clarity. He could remember the hours of training for the exams, the studying for the test; so much time went into preparing to become a member of the ANBU, much less a captain. He could remember how his body ached, bones echoed with pain, muscles threatened to give out as he limped from the training grounds to the Hyuuga compound, how he couldn't even bring himself to shower before collapsing onto his bed.

Becoming a member of the ANBU was singlehandedly the hardest thing Neji ever had to do.

The test was gruesome; both mentally and physically, the exam challenged him, pushed him to an edge that he didn't think was possible—or even within the rules of the village. It was so real he almost felt he really had to choose between the success of a crucial mission or letting his teammates die. Scenarios were made for him to crack under and it was staying calm that was the ultimate objective.

Again, he had been the first of Team Gai to undergo the test and, as usual, Tenten had been the one to help him prepare.

_"ANBU? Already?"_

_ Neji gave a quiet nod as he sipped his tea, sitting next to Tenten as Gai and Lee were across the table of the small tea shop they had stopped by after a fairly easy mission. He had casually mentioned his intention to undergo the exam while Lee and Gai both had their mouths full of dango, using that as an opportunity to escape should the two have a major objection._

_ "But, Neji-san!" Lee protested and Neji winced to see chewed food in his mouth. "It's dangerous and…!"_

_ "Neji," Gai interrupted softly with a solemn expression, arms crossed over his chest. "You're sure?"_

_ Over the years, he had come to regard Neji as something resembling a son, as he did with all the members of Team Gai. He had watched them grow from being his students to his fellow equals; Team Gai was no longer composed of a teacher and three students but, rather, four full fledged shinobi. Neji, he knew, would go through with what he had his mind set on and nothing would deter him. Had he chosen to become a member of the ANBU, he would succeed, no matter how many tries it took._

_ Given the qualifications, the extremities of the exam, Gai was, understandably, concerned. But as he looked at Neji and Tenten by his side, the girl had a sort of amused half smile dancing upon lips stained with sesame seeds of the sweets she had been eating earlier, and instantly relaxed, even gave a small smile. Lee looked over in surprise and Gai ignored him, shook his head._

_ "…You'll be fine, Neji."_

He felt bad, but Tenten had agreed to help him.

She woke up at five am every day, sometimes four if he so asked her to. They always met at the gates and Tenten was never more than five minutes late, three hundred seconds Neji allowed her, given the time he had requested to be conscious for. While such an early time wasn't something particularly out of place for a shinobi, every day was pushing it—especially when it was for a prolonged period of time.

But Tenten appeared every day and it was Neji that had to send her home if her cheeks were flushed and eyes glassy, clear signs of a fever that she tried to brush off as allergies.

_"I'm fine, Neji! It's the pollen!"_

_ "Tenten."_

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "It's winter."_

But he told himself that it helped her as much as him. She had intentions to undergo the exam as well, albeit at a later time, and she reassured him that training now would be good for her. Neji watched the way her skills became more graceful, how she fixed techniques, reduced times, jumped higher, moved faster. She became a more refined ballerina in the air, navigating with no ground and performing with no stage, just as he became faster, better, stronger.

He began to fall in love with her all over again, as if every day he felt himself succumbing to the way she smiled at him, how her cheeks would turned a pink when they spoke. The feeling of reciprocation always coaxed a smile onto his lips, and 'mine' was assigned to her, just as 'yours' was assigned to him.

Neji never had to reach for her hand or kiss her; it seemed known throughout the town that Hyuuga Neji was Tenten's and the reverse was true. He wasn't jealous, he never got jealous. It was just that sometimes he needed a moving target to practice on.

Unaware moving targets.

Tenten always reprimanded him, but Neji claimed he couldn't control himself; it was reflex to always protect her from harm.

(She said the way he said that with a straight face was so unlike him that it bordered on insanity.)

After training meant relaxing, relaxing meant spending time with her without avoiding a weapon or stopping short of hitting a vital organ. Relaxing meant sitting with her somewhere, anywhere, and relaxing meant being with her. Relaxing meant sneaking a kiss when she least expected it and always knowing she'd never make a big fuss, merely give a small smile, let the apples of her cheeks turn a pink.

_"Have you thought about our future together?"_

_ She choked on the dumpling she was eating._

_ "Never mind."_

No matter how many times she persisted, tugged on his hand, tried to whine (but stopped short and looked disgusted with herself), Neji never asked again. He always brushed her off and told her to forget it, that it was nothing important, that things would happen the way they were meant to. Clearly, Tenten wasn't satisfied with the answer, but she never pushed it; she knew Neji and knew to not push him.

What she didn't know was that if she pushed enough she would get that answer, that she actually did have Hyuuga Neji bend to her will. It was just that she was too naïve to realize that and he was beyond grateful.

The date of the exam drew near and Neji had made a promise with Hanabi, the sneaky Hyuuga that claimed she was a future matchmaker. Neji almost slipped a profanity at that; if titles were up to him, she would have 'life ruiner' labeled over her head for all of eternity.

_"Hey, Neji-niisan. You made me a promise, remember?"_

_ The day of the exam, Hanabi was the one to send Neji off. She lingered by the threshold to enter the Hyuuga compound as she watched Neji off, an optimistic smile for a reason other than wishing him luck. Tenten was waiting for him a few yards away and Neji had glanced at her before turning to Hanabi and glaring._

_ "I know."_

Hyuuga Neji had come close to dying, but he thought the ANBU exam would be the reason for his funeral.

It was exhausting; the training he had done was for his physical strength, and even that seemed hardly enough. His mind was pushed to a brink that he wasn't sure he would be able to come back from, had it not been for the image of his team that he kept on the surface. The enemies were almost too numerous; quantity over quality, it seemed they were testing, endurance over precision.

But Neji refused to fall and give up; he had been through so much, he thought, he wasn't ready to give up; failure wasn't an option, and he would only fail this exam if he came to the very edge of his life.

And miraculously, he passed.

The results came a few days later, after scores were cumulated and proctors discussed the performance of everyone. Neji had seen several faces that he had seen once, but none were acquaintances; it seemed he was the first of the Konoha 12, again, to attempt to proceed to the next level. He had spent those days of waiting recovering, absolutely refusing to leave his bed.

Hanabi would always come in and bounce on his bed, ask him how he thought it was, what about the promise? Hinata came and went, a knowing smile on her lips—surely Hanabi told her something and he was only grateful that she wouldn't tell anyone else—and when Tenten came, Neji found the energy to get up and lock his door.

_"How was it?"_

_ "Difficult."_

_ "You think I'll pass?"_

_ He smirked at her._

_ "I'll make sure you do."_

Her laughter was his medicine, her smile his bandage and Neji found himself pulling her down and kissing her in the privacy of his room, blinds drawn and doors closed, hand cupping her pretty face and lips molding to hers.

_I'm so very much in love with you._

When the results came out, Neji had to double check and ask Hinata to read the letter. Not for bragging purposes—he would never try to do that in such an obvious manner—but because the Byakugan wielder truly doubted his eyes, wondered if he had to relearn how to read.

But Hinata looked at him with a smile, cheeks flushed pink with pleasure.

_"Neji-niisan, your eyes aren't deceiving you. You're an ANBU squad captain."_

The moment Hanabi heard, she seemed to jump out of nowhere and pull on Neji's arm until he thought it would fall off.

_"Neji-niisan! You promised! You promised!"_

Just as Tenten remembered two things distinctively about being a jounin, Neji remembered just one thing about becoming an ANBU squad captain.

It was raining that day but he never equated the rain with sadness. Without an umbrella, Neji had gone to Tenten's apartment and uncharacteristically banged on her door until she answered, rapping his knuckles, hitting his fist to the door. She had opened, looking irritated, until she saw it was him. Brown eyes lost their annoyance as they looked at him in surprised, lips mouthing 'Neji…?'

He made a promise with Hanabi at her pestering. Or maybe he just needed a reason.

_"All right, Neji-niisan. If you pass the exam, you'll…"_

He was in love with the girl he had run through the rain for, the girl that gave up months of sleeping in to help him, the girl that he grew up with, the girl that he wanted to be his first and last for everything. She was endlessly patient with him and he could never repay that and wanted to give her the world but could hardly grasp the village.

But it seemed she didn't mind; he could offer her a stick and she would smile and thank him and it was that simplicity of her that he loved. She was simple but he wanted to give her the world; she wanted nothing but he wanted to give her everything.

There was only one thing that he could give her, he knew, just one thing that could be his everything and he dropped down to one knee and took her hand in his, offered a smile at her wide eyes and the way a hand was brought to her face.

He made a promise with Hanabi, and Hyuuga Neji would admit that was just an excuse for the courage he so clearly and desperately lacked.

_"Tenten."_

_ "N-Neji…?"_

He was on his knee in front of the girl he grew up with and fell in love with, the one girl that never left him, the sole reason he retained his sanity in the company of Gai and Lee. Tenten was always smiling and he loved her optimism. Tenten was always determined and he loved her persistence. Tenten was always herself and he loved her for that, could kiss her endlessly yet didn't because scarcity made things precious.

He smiled at her and he could see tears beading in her eyes, the 'yes' falling from her lips before he even asked.

_"Marry me?"_

**author's notes: I… I finished… so… so you can't… hate me… um… I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this, hahaha… but I finished! thank you for reading and I'm very sorry this took me so long (I need to be more motivated. agh.) final critiques or comments will always be appreciated forever and, once again, I thank you for your patience with this story!**


End file.
